Machine for making swabs



Nov. 11,- 1947. SCHQNRCK 2,430,648 I MACHINE FOR MAKING SWABS Filed001;.- 8, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- Mdv 3 m oc g,

ATTORNEYS NOV. 11, 1947. I SCHQNROCK 2,430,648

MACHINE FOR MAKING swABs' Filed Oqt. 8, 1943 '7- Shets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYSNov. 11, 1947.

B. SCHONROCK MACHINE FOR MAKING SWABS Filed Oct. 8, 1943 '7 Sheets-Sheet3 51 Jil ml' Hm" m we , I r TNVENTOR. I 0* M I ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1947.B SCHONROQK 2,430,648

MACHINE FOR MAKING SWABS Filed 001:. 8, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYSNOV. 11,1947. 7 SCHQNRQCK v 2,430,648

" MACHINE FOR MAKING. SWABS Filed Oct. 8, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 vINVENTOR.

BY 2%? 4&4

ATTORNE Y5 Nov, 11, 1947.

BySC HONROCK momma FOR MAKING SWABS Filed-Oct. 8, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 67' ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1947. B, gcHo RocK 2,430,648

MACHINE FOR MAKING S'WABS Q iNVENTOR.

BY 06K I Mam ATTORN E Y5 Filed Oct. 8, 1943 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 rPatented Nov. 11, 1947 MACHINE FOR MAKING SWABS Bernhard Schonrock,Ozone Park, N. Y., assignor to Williams Drug Sundries, Ltd., Toronto,On-

tario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application October 8, 1943,Serial No. 505,485

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method and machine for makingswabs and other articles. Such articles are sticks or rods to which oneor more wound masses of absorbent material are applied and connected.Such absorbent applied material may be absorbent cotton, medicated ornon-medicated. The invention is not limited to any type of appliedabsorbent material, and it is not limited to the use of applied materialwhich is absorbent. The applied material can be wound on a mandrel whichis made of any material. Said mandrel is preferably cylindrical, but itcan have any shape.

It has been well-known for more than fifty years to treat a strand ofabsorbent cotton by several pairs of drawing rolls, in order to compress and attenuate such a strand without breaking the strand. It hasalso been well-known, for more than fifty years, to form a spirallywound lap of such attenuated cotton strand, by winding said strand upona reel or mandrelwhich rests upon a pair of twirling rolls, which twirlsaid reel or mandrel around its own horizontal axis. It is alsowell-known, as in Felice U. S. Patent No. 1,700,584, to form a mass ofcotton at the end of a wire mandrel which is rotated around its axis,and to interrupt the feed of the cotton, so that the continued twirlingof the mandrel tears the cotton from a strand thereof.

The object of my invention is to apply these old principles to animproved swab-making machine which also has conventional transfer meansfor picking up the sticks one-by-one from a hopper, and for transferringsuch sticks to an assembly station, where the stick is assembled withthe cotton. Such assembly station is provided with twirling rolls fortwirling the stick, of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,175,831,issued to Spinney on Mar. 14, 1916.

According to my invention, I provide one of said twirling rolls with acut-away face, and I supply adhesive to the stick anterior the assemblystation.

Another object of my invention, is to provide feeding-gears for feedingthe compressed and attenuated sliver of absorbent cotton towards theassembly station, and to operate said gears intermittently, so that saidgears are held fixed between successive feeding movements, and saidgears then grip the sliver to prevent the anterior end-portion of thesliver from being fed towards the assembly station, unless the sliver isbroken at said gears.

Another object of the invention is to provid continuously revolvingfeeding-rolls between said gears and the assembly station, so thatrespective lengths of the sliver are successively torn off at saidgears, and each respective torn-off length is fed to the stick at theassembly station.

Another object is to provide each said respective length with adhesive,directly at the point where the respective length is spirally wound onthe stick, so that the spirally wound layers remain adhering to eachother, after the adhesive has dried or set. This prevents the spirallywound mass of cotton from unwinding.

Another object is to provide a method and machine whereby the swab iscompleted as a finally finished article, at the assembly station, sothat the swabs can be directly delivered from the assembly station topacking mechanism.

The invention comprises additional combinations and parts, and it is notlimited to the complete combination described herein, as the inventioncovers numerous sub-combinations.

Additional important objects and features of the invention will bestated in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate apreferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a section, partially in elevation, through the longitudinal,vertical, median plane of the improved machine. The parts which areshown in elevation, are in front elevation.

Fig. 1A is an enlarged detailed section of the means for removing thesticks from the hopper.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the improved machine. The longitudinalsuccession of the parts in Fig. 2, is therefore shown reversely to thelongitudinal succession of said parts in Fig. 1. The longitudinaldirection is the horizontal direction in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the improved machine.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the improved machine, taken at theleft-hand end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the time 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 5 is partially in endelevation.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. '7. This shows in detail,the twirling rolls for revolvmg each stick around its own axis at theassembly station, and certain adjacent parts.

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 1-! of Fi 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail elevation, partially in section, of certain essentialparts at the assembly station. These parts are shown in their relativepositions, immediately after the twirling ofthe stick has been sta Fig.9 is similar to Fig. 8, showing how the completed swab is dischargedfrom the machine.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the completed swab, showing two masses 32 ofapplied material, located on the stick or rod 2. The invention includesa machine which will apply onl a single mass of material. 7 7

Two dry strandsifl of the applied material, such as dry absorbentcotton, are fed into the inlet end of the machine, by means ofrespective vertical guides 8a, respective horizontal guides 20, andrespective longitudinal guides 8d. These guides Illa, I81), and 18d arefixed to the frame of the machine. Each fixed guide 1801 can have alongitudinal bore or channel, in which the respective strand Hi can beaccurately longitudinally guided.

Each of the dry strands l8 passes between respective pairs of drawing orattenuating rolls 1%, 20b, and Zlb. The rolls of each said pair are invertical superposed relation There are six pairs of said rolls, threepairs being provided for each strand 18. These rolls are made of steelor other suitable material. Such attenuating rolls are well-known perse, because such rolls have been used in attenuating rovings, beginningwith the Arkwright spinning machine of 17.68.

The respective rolls 19b are fixed to respective shafts l9 and 19a. Therespective rolls 211) are fixed to respective shafts 21 and 26a. Theactuating mechanism for operating the various movable parts, will belater described. Said attenuating rolls are of equal diameter, and therespective pairs are rotated at respective difierent angular velocities,so that rolls 2% have a greater peripheral speed than :rolls 1%, androlls 2!?) have a greater peripheral speed than rolls 26b. Theattenuating rolls of each pair turn at the same constant speed. Theseconsecutive pairs of attenuating rolls therefore exert pressure and alsoexert a drawing and elongating and attenuating action, upon the drystrands 1,8. Each strand is permanently compressed and vattenuated bythe respective attenuating rolls.

The upper shafts i9a, 212a, and 2ia are provided with respectivevertically slidable bearings, which are vertically guided in respectivesuitable guides which are fixed to the frame of the machine. Each saidhearing has an associated pressure screw 22, whose threaded shank passesthrough a tapped bore of a wall .of the respective guide. The pressurebetween each said pair of attenuating rolls can thus be regulated.

Each condensed and drawn and attenuated dry strand l8 then passesthrough a respective fixed guide H522, and each strand l8 then passesdownwardly between the teeth of a respective pair of intermeshingfeeding'and gripping gears 23 and 24. As shown in detail in Figs. 8 and9, each strand i8 intermeshes with the teeth of the respective pair ofgears 23 and 24. Said gears 23 and 24 are intermittently revolved sothat each said gear alwaysturns in the same respective direction. Eachgear of said pair 23, 24 is turned oppositely to the other gear of saidpair. When said gears 23 and 24 are held stationary, they exertsufficient frictional grip on the respective dry and attenuated strand18, to prevent the movement of said respective strand i8, downwardlyaway from the respective pair of feeding and gripping gears 23and 24.

By compressing and attenuating each strand anterior its respective gears23 and 2.4, each strand is made dense and strong, so that when arespective pair of gears 23 and 24 are held stationary, said gears canhold the respective strand against downward movement away from saidears.

Each strand I 8 then passes downwardly between a respective pair ofpull-rolls 25 and 25a, which are located in a guide casing 18c, whichhas a vertical outlet guide throat, through which the respective strandl8 passes. The reference letter T in Fig. 8 denotes an anteriorend-length of a respective strand [8, which has been torn or separatedfrom the respective strand. This separation is caused by thecontinuously revolving pull rolls or tearing-rolls 25 and 25a, whichrevolve continuously, thus tearing a predetermined anterior length T offthe end of the respective strand 18, during the period in which thegears '23 and 24 are held stationary to hold the respective strand I8against the downward pulling movement of the pull-rolls 25 and 25a.

Each end-portion of the stick 2, to which the respective length T isapplied at the assembly station in order to form the respective woundswab-mass 32, is provided with a spot or spots or with a layer ofadhesive, prior to the application of the respective length T to thestick at the assembly station. This adhesive may be a solution ordispersion of gum arabic in water. I can use any type of adhesive.

This adhesive is located in a tank Hit, which has two vertical andlaterally spaced outlet pipes 18]. The bottom ends of pipes I81 arelocated directly above the top of applicator rolls .529, which are fixedto lateral shaft 52. The bottom end or" each pipe i8) is very slightlyspaced from the top of the respective roll 52g. The flow of adhesivethrough pipes 18] is control-led by any suitable means, such as bymaking said pipes H3; of narrow bore, by providing valves, etc. Theend-portions of the sticks 2 project laterally beyond the ends of discsI, at the station where the adhesive is applied. At theadhesive-applying station, the protecting end-part of each stickcontacts with the bottom of the respective revolving roll 52g, so thateach projecting end-part of stick 2 picks up a thin spot or spots or athin layer of said adhesive from the respective roll 529.

At this adhesive-applying station, each stick 2 may revolve around itsown axis, or the adhesive may be applied without revolving the stickaround its own axis.

A liquid adhesive or binder is applied to each dry length T at theassembly station, so that the layers of each length T will firmly adhereto each other. This binder is applied to each length T, directly at thepoint where the respective length T is wound on the stick 2. I thusapply the hinder or adhesive to each length T, during the formaticn ofthe swab, so that each swab is completed as a finished and salablearticle at the assembly station. The adhesive which is applied to therespective lengths T of the dry absorbent cotton at the assembly stationmay also be an aqueous solution or suspension of gum arabic. Theadhesive which is applied to the end-portions of the stick by rolls 52gis thick and viscous, and the adhesive which is applied to each length'1 at the assembly station is thin and fluid. Each mass 32 is providedwith sufficient adhesive, to prevent unraveling of said mass 32 when thewater of the adhesive has evaporated.

The adhesive which is applied .to the respective lengths T at theassembly station, is located in respective tanks Hill, which haverespective vertical outlet pipes 19!, through which the fiow of the thinadhesive is controlled at a constant rate.

The adhesive is supplied to the sticks and to the lengths T, in the formof intermittent drops. The delivery of these drops is timed, bycontrolvalves, so that each drop is taken up by the respectiveend-portion of the stick at the adhesiveapplying station or by therespective length T at the assembly station. Hence, there is little orno dripping of the adhesive at either station.

The sticks 2 are located in a hopper I, at whose outlet a corrugated andcontinuously rotating roll 3 is located. Said roll 3 agitates the pileof sticks 2, to prevent clogging at the outlet of the hopper, where thesticks are picked up one by one, by the pick-up discs 5.

The respective laterally spaced pick-up discs 5, whose peripheries havenotches 5a, project partially into hopper I. Said discs 5 are fixed to alateral shaft 4. The respective pairs of laterally alined notches 5a,pick up the sticks 2, one by one. Each stick 2 is moved out of hopper I,under a fixed guide G, which is fixed to a wall of the hopper I, whichis fixed to the frame of the machine. Said guide G prevents sticks 2from shifting laterally relative to discs 5.

Each stick 2 is delivered by the pick-up discs 5 to a pair of laterallyspaced transfer discs I, which are fixed to a lateral shaft 33. Saiddiscs I have notches 6, which are arranged in laterally alined pairs.The leg 8 of a guide which is fixed to the frame of the machine, guidesthe transfer of the sticks 2, from discs 5 to discs I.

The end-portions of the sticks project laterally beyond discs I, so thatsaid projecting end-portions are provided with adhesive by rolls 52g,while the sticks are located in notches 6. The sticks 2 are thentransferred from discs I to the laterally alined notches 9 of additionallaterally spaced transfer discs I0, which are fixed to lateral shaft 34,this transfer being guided by a leg I I of said fixed guide.

The front and rear end-portions of each stick 2, project laterally,namely, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1, beyond therespective discs 5, I and Iii. Each said end-portion of the stickprojects equally beyond said respective discs. Suitable guide means, notshown, are provided to prevent the sticks from shifting laterallyrelative to said discs 5, I, I0, and the other parts which feed eachstick to the assembly station. Such guide means are well-known per se.

Each stick is delivered from discs I8 to a lateral twirling roll Id,which is made of resilient vulcanized rubber, which has a highcoefficient of friction. This twirling roll It has a single notch 5. Thefront and rear ends of said twirling roll I4 are located laterallybetween the discs III. Said twirling roll Id feeds each stick 2 betweenthe periphery of said roll Id and a fixed guide I2, which has a fixedwedge I2a, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to the assembly station. Thelateral notch I5 is parallel to the axis of roll I4. As shown in Fig. 8,while the stick is being twirled, the median part of the stick abuts thebottom end-wall of wedge I211, which exerts sufficient downward pressureon the stick to secure the twirling action.

At the assembly station, which is shown in Fig. 8, the twirling roll IQ,which is a continuous cylinder, save where its periphery is interruptedby the single lateral notch I5, is associated with a companion twirlingroll I'I, whose periphery has the shape of a part of a cylinder. Saidcompanion twirling roll I? has a resilient periphery, which is made ofvulcanized rubber or other suitable material, and which has a planarface IB.

Said twirling rolls I4 and I! are revolved continuously in the samedirection, so that the adjacent portions of their respective peripheriesturn continuously in opposite directions.

. Fig. 1 shows the stick abutting the bottom endwall of wedge I2a, justafter the stick has been released from notch I5, and just before thecylindrical or convex part of roll I! abuts the stick, to start thetwirling of the stick.

The stick is supported upon the roll I4 and upon the cylindrical part ofroll II during the twirling operation. The parts of said rolls I I- andII which support the stick horizontally during the twirling operation,are located above the horizontal axes of said rolls I4 and II.

It has been well-known for more than fifty years, to wind material upona mandrel or reel, which rests initially upon the peripheries of twocylindrical twirling rolls, which rotate the reel. However, since I windthe lengths T upon sticks 2 of very small weight, I use the downwardpressure of Wedge IZa, in order to produce the necessary frictionaldrive between stick 2, the roll I4, and the cylindrical or convex partof roll I1.

The axes of rolls Id and I! are parallel to each other, and said axesare located in the same horizontal plane.

As shown in Fig. 7, I provide respective and laterally spaced formersIE2 at the assembly station. Said formers I02 have respective recesses,at which the respective masses 32 are Wound. The top faces of formersI02 can be planar or of any form. In this embodiment, said top faces areplanar, save where the recesses are provided.

At the beginning of the twirling operation, the end-portions of eachstick 2 are slightly above the unrecessed parts of the top faces of theformers m2. The stick then rests only upon the roll Id and upon theconvex or cylindrical part of roll I'I. As the cotton is wound, themasses 32 become thicker and these masses 32 exert a lifting effect uponthe end-portion of the stick 2, because such masses 32 then exertpressure upon the bottom faces of the recesses of the formers I02, thusexerting upward pressure upon the end-. portions of stick 2, on whichthe masses 32 are wound. The end-portions of stick 2 are thus fixedupwardly, while the median part of stick 2 is held against upwardmovement by wedge I202. The sticks 2 are resilient, so that they returnto their straight shape after such flexing. During a part of thetwirling operation, a part of the periphery of each mass 32 contactswith a respec-: tive former I82, which is held stationary during thetwirling operation.

There is always enough frictional contact between each stick and thetwirling rolls I4 and IT, to twirl each stick 2 until the masses 32 havebeen completely formed.

The axis of each stick 2 is kept substantially or wholly horizontal,while said stick 2 is thus supported and twirled by the rolls I4 and I1.

Each rigid former I02 is integral with a respective rigid arm I25,which, as shown in Fig. 1, is turnably connected to the frame ofthemachine by a shaft 26. Each arm I25 has a rigid depending extension27. One end of a respective biasing tension spring 28 is fixed to eachextension 21. The other end of each tension spring 28 is fixed by arespective pin 29 to the frame of the machine.

Hence, each former I02 is biased by its respective tension spring tomove towards shaft 36 of roll I'I.

As shown in Fig. 4, said shaft 36 of roll H has cams 80, which controlthe positions of the respective arms I25 and their respective formers492. A .part of the representation of roll [1 has been omitted .in Fig.c, in order to show one of said cams 80. Each said cam. 80 has a planarface, which is indicated in Fig. 1.. Each said planar face of each cam80, is parallel to or inclined to, the face [6.

Due to the planar face Hi, the periphery of roll I! is cut away, about120 degrees.

Each stick 2 is thus twirled about its horizontal axis, while the rollsI4 and I! turn in unison during an arc of about 240 degrees. Theperiphcry of roll I4 is sufficiently resilient and yieldable, so thatits notched portion at the notch [5 releases and movesaway from thestick 2, after said stick 2 has been delivered to the assembly stafionabove the formers l 02. At the completion of the twirling operation, theplanar face l6 of roll .H directly adjacent roll M, so that the stick isno longer frictionally engaged between the rolls 4-4 and I1.

Fig. 9 shows the respective vertical positions of the planar face l6,after the completion of the respective twirling operation. The planarfaces of cams 88 .permit the arms I25 to move from their verticalforming or operative positions which are shown in Fig. 1, to theinclined and inopera- Itiv positions which are shown in full lines inFig. 6, and which are also shown in Fig. 9, at the completion of thetwirling operation.

Fig. 8 shows how the notch I5 of roll M has moved beyond the stick 2,and it illustrates the location of notch [5 just after the beginning of.the twirling operation.

The completed swab is thus released by the movement of formers I82 underthe force of springs 28, to .drop into a collecting box. The stick 2 isprevented from moving away from the assembly station by means of thevertical leg of a fixed guide I513.

The movable parts of the machine are actuated .as follows:

As shown in Fig. 4, there is a main shaft 36, which is laterallydisposed. Said shaft 36 has a drive pulley 42. There is an idler pulley4|, to which the drive belt 39 can be shifted from pulley A2. The shaft36 has a handwheel 49'.

R0213 and rolls 52g As shown in Fig. 2, a sprocket 48 is fixed to .theshaft 3a of agitatin roll 3. Said sprocket 48 is connected by chain 49to sprocket 50, which is fixed to shaft 52. Paste-applying rolls 52g arefixed to shaft 52.

As shown in Fig. 3, shaft 52 is connected by its gear Ill! and idlergear 99, to gear 330 which is fixed toshaft 33. Fig. 3 also shows thatgear 330 meshes with idler gear 98, which meshes with gear 97, which isfixed to shaft 34. As shown in Fig. '2, a gear 94 is fixed to shaft 34,Said gear .94 meshes with idler gear 92a, which meshes with gear 192,which is fixed to shaft 35, Said gear 92 meshes with idler gear 9|,which meshes with gear .95 which is fixed to main drive shaft 36.

Discs 5 Both discs 5 are fixed to a common lateral shaft 4, said lateralshaft 4 being shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 2, a gear 95 is fixed to shaft 4. Fig. 2 also showsthat the gear 96 meshes with an idler gear 95, which meshes with gear33a, which is fixed to shaft 33. As previously stated, and as shown inFig, 3, gear 33c of shaft 33 meshes with idler gear 98, which mesheswith gear 91 of shaft 36. As previously stated, gear $4 .of shaft 34meshes with idler gear 92a, which meshes with gear :92 of shaft .35, andsaid gear 92 meshes with idler gear 9! which meshes with gear .99 ofshaft 36.

Discs 7 Said discs I are fixed to the common lateral shaft 33. The driveof said lateral shaft 33 from the shaft 36, has already been described.

Discs 10 The discs it! are fixed to a common lateral shaft 34. The driveof said shaft 34 from the shaft 36 has already been described.

Rolls 17 and 14 The roll I! is fixed to the drive shaft 33. The roll [4is fixed to the shaft 35. As previously described, the gear 92 of shaft35 meshes with idler gear 9!, which meshes with gear of shaft 36. Thegears 90 and 31 and 82 are proportioned so that the shafts 35 and 33make the same number of revolutions per minute. The diameter of thecylindrical part of roll H is equal to the diameter of the unnotchedpart of the periphery of roll l4.

.As shown in Fig. 10, the stick 2 may be provided with a depression N,whose cross-secti0n is angular in the axial plane or the stick 2. Asshown in Fig. 4, the roll I! is provided with a median transverse recesswhich is provided at one part thereof with a projection or tooth Na.When the roll ll is rotated in order to discharge the completed swab,said tooth Na passes through the recess N, thus aiding in the dischargeof the Stick.

Drawing rolls As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 2! has a gear I22 fixedthereto. Said gear I22 meshes with .a smaller .gear 74 which is fixed tothe stud shaft 53. A gear 19, which is fixed to stud shaft 53, mesheswith gear H which is fixed to shaft 35. The primary drive of the drawingrolls is therefore produced by means of the shaft 2|.

Fig, 2 shows that the shaft 2i has a gear 6! fixed thereto, and saidgear 61 meshes with a gear 60 which is fixed to the shaft Zia. Hence,the top and bottom rolls 2 it are positively driven.

Fig. 2 also shows that the gear 51 of shaft 2| meshes with an idler gear620., which meshes with a gear 62 which is fixed to shaft 25.

As shown in Fig. 3, shafts 20 and 2011 are connected by equalintermeshing gears, so that both rolls 201) are positively driven.

Fig. 2 shows that gear 62 of shaft 20 meshes with an idler gear 63a,which meshes with a gear 63 which is fixed to shaft l9. Fig. 3 showsthat the shafts l9 and I So are provided with equal and intermeshinggears, so that the shaft I911 is positively driven from the shaft l 9.

Hence, all the rolls 2Ib and 20b and 19?) are positivel driven. Saidrolls have peripheries of equal diameter. The peripheries of each super?posed pair are driven at the same speed. The rolls 201) are driven atgreater peripheral speed than the rolls [9b, and the rolls 2|!) aredriven at greater peripheral speed than the rolls 29b.

Gears 23 and 24 Since these gears 23 and 24 are intermesh, they couplethe respective shafts 3'! and 38 of said gears.

g and 4 show the usual pin 13, which is fixed to a disc 13a, which isfixed to the stud shaft 53. Hence, the continuously rotating stud shaft53 causes the shaft 38 to be intermittently turned, each said turningmovement being through an angle of 90 degrees. In'this embodiment, eachof the gears 23 and 24 has twelve teeth, and during each intermittentmovement, each said gear is turned through an are which corresponds tothree of said teeth. The Geneva stop locks the gears 23 and 24 againstturning, between successive movements thereof.

Rolls 25 and 25a Figs. 4 and 2 show that gear 45, which is fixed toshaft 35, meshes with a gear 55 which is fixed to shaft il. Another gear450 is fixed to said shaft 41. Fig. 2 shows that said gear 360 mesheswith an equal gear 56d, which is fixed to shaft l'la.

Operation of the machine The sticks are withdrawn from the hopper, oneby one, by means of the discs 5. Each stick is then delivered to thediscs 1, then only the endportions of each stick are provided withadhesive by rolls 52g, and each stick is then delivered to the discs l0,and then to the notch l5 of the roll l4.

Phe drawing rolls operate to condense each dry strand of absorbentcotton or the like, and also to elongate and attenuate each said strand,but without breaking said strand. The strand i then fed continuousltowards the intermittently operated gears 23 and 24, and in intermeshingrelation with the teeth of said gears. Each strand is pulled forwardlyand continuously, by means of the rolls 25 and 25a. Due to theintermittent stopping of the gears 25 and 2d, the rolls 25 and 25aoperate to break ofi successive predetermined lengths of each saidstrand. The lower end of each dry strand is brought into contact withthe projecting end-portion of the stick at the assembly station, whilethe strand is supplied with adhesive at the assembly station. The lengthof absorbent cotton which is to be wound up may be slightly inclinedfrom the vertical direction, when the bottom end of said sliver ofcotton touches the end of the stick. While the ears 23 and 24 are heldstationary, the drawing rolls I912, 201), and Zlb forwardly feed thesliver, which forms a bight above gears 23 and 24. When said gears 23and 24 are operated, they take up the bight and feed the material of thebight to rolls 25 and 25a. Each stick is then twirled about its ownaxis, in order to form the rolls or masses 32.

After the twirling has been completed, the planar face l6 of the roll His presented to the assembly station, thus stopping the twirling. Thecontinued rotation of the roll I! and of the cams 80 on the shaft 36,finally permit the formers to be moved to the discharge position. Eachcompleted swab then drops into a suitable collecting chute.

While the stick is being twirled at the assembly station which isprovided with the rolls l1 and M, the feed of each length T towards thetwirling stick is regulated by the rolls 25 and 250., so that eachlength T is wound under zero back tension, to produce a piral mass 32.

The space between the tearing-rolls 25 and 25a is only about 0.003 inchto 0.004 inch. The absorbent cotton is fed into the machine, in the formof a thin strand, whose width is about 0.625 inch to 0.75 inch. Thethickness of such strand,

when it is fed into the machine, is about 0.125 inch, and such thicknessis reduced to about 0.007 inch by the gang of drawing rolls, whichproduce a sliver of the absorbent cotton. In this machine, I haveillustrated only three pairs of drawing rolls, so that the absorbentcotton is attenuated in two successive passes. I can use any number ofpairs of drawing rolls, depending upon the thickness of the cotton whichis fed into the machine. The original width of the cotton strand whichis fed into the machine, is reduced by the attenuating and stretchingaction of the drawing rolls. Hence the initial width of the cottonstrand is reduced to about 0.5 inch by the drawing rolls. Hence thelength T of the cotton sliver which is wound around the stick 2, has awidth of about 0.5 inch and a thickness of about 0.003 inch to 0.004inch. These dimensions and the attenuating and drawing action of thedrawing rolls, are important in order reliably to tear the cotton intolengths T, by means of the intermittently locked gears 23 and 24, andthe continuously revolving tearing-rolls 25 and 25a.

If desired, the screws 22 can be adjusted, so that the thickness of thecotton which is fed to the tearing-rolls 25 and 25a, is substantiallythicker than the clearance between saidrolls 25 and 25a. In such case,the rolls 25 and 25a will substantially compress the cotton, in additionto tearing off successive lengths T. Therefore, I can adjust the machineso that rolls 25 and 25a either do not compress the sliver, or else saidrolls 25 and 25a substantially compress the sliver. If the rolls 25 and25a substantially compress the sliver, then the thickness of the woundmasses 32 is increased. That is, the drawing rolls impart asubstantially permanent set to the sliver. If the rolls 25 and 25acompress the sliver, the set of the sliver is not permanent, so that thethickness of the sliver increases directly after the rolls 25 and 25a.

Iclaim:

1. In a swab-making machine which has an assembly station, a first rolland a second roll located at said assembly station, the first rollhaving a cylindrical periphery, the second roll having a partialcylindrical periphery and also having a cut-away face which is closer tothe axis of said second roll than its partial cylindrical periphery,mean adapted to revolve said rolls in the same direction, the partialcylindrical periphery of the second roll and the cylindrical peripheryof the first roll being sufficiently close to support a stick intwirling position and to twirl said stick around its own axis while thestick is in said twirling position, said machine also havingswab-formers, the tops of said rolls being located higher than saidswab-formers, said swabformers being located below the end-portions ofthe stick while the stick is being twirled, said swab-formers beingmovable towards the axis of the second roll, biasing means biasing saidswabformers towards the axis of the second roll, automatic means holdingsaid swab-formers against said biasing movement until said cut-away faceis directly adjacent the periphery of the first roll.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which said automatic means arecams which are fixed to the shaft of said second roll, said machinehaving a fixed guide which guides the movement of the stick away fromsaid rolls when said face is directly adjacent the periphery of thefirst roll.

3. In a machine for winding a mass of flexible material on a mandrel, afirst twirling roll, a second twirling roll, said twirling rolls havingre- 1 1 s ee ve. res lient, periph ral. perti nsr a first; part oi theper ph ral; po tion oi the fi st twirling 1 1 hav n the ha e oi a partor a. cylinder, said peri her p tion or? sa d: first, twirling roll alsoavin a utway f cei he peripheral portion f h rl, econd roll bein or xind ical shape which has: a n tch h e said; r lls h v ng pa all l lonitud al a said notch being pa allel t said axes, means for rotating saidrolls in refill ictive opposed direction said peripheral porie s b insuf cien ly c ose to eac t er to supprt an to. tw n, a mantra when s idfirst part of the per phera pertion: of; the. first twirlin roll is inregistration, with the peripheral portion of theseeongl; twirling roll;said rolls releasing said mandrel when, said cntraway face registerswith the, peripheral portion, of the. second twirling roll.

t, In, a, machine for win in a mass of flexible material on a mandreLefirst twirling roll, a sec onol; twirling, roll, said twirling rollshaving re- PQQHVQ ifill l ienliperipheral portions, a first part of theperiphe i el' portion; of the first twirling roll, having the shape of apart; ofja, cylinder, said peripheral portion of= said first twirlingroll also having: a. cut-away face,v the peripheral portion or; said.sepon l roll; being 0i eylindricalv shape w ithi a a not h therein, saidrolls having p allel p eitu nali ax s aid notch being. parallel 0 saidaxe m ans 5 1:: r tat n sa d, rolls in res tiv opp ed: ireeti ps a dperipheral p 12 tr o s; being su ficiently close to each other town: notto tw rl a mand el. wh n said first part of the peripheral portionofthe; first twirling roll is registration with the eripheral portion ofthe second twirling; roll, said; rolls releasing Said: mandrel when saidnut-away fa-ce registers with the. peripheral por ipnoi the secondtwirlin roll. and means to hold said; mandrel against. said 113:ripheral portions when. said first part of the pe: ripheral portion ofthe first twirling roll is in regs istration with said peripheralportion of the sec ond twirling roll.

BE A SCHONROCK.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The following references are of reeorcl in, the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATE PATENTS

